Branch line terminus track plans

[Regularity]

Ashburton broke many rules, but during the daily shunt, there was a pause whilst the auto train came and went.

 

Like many branchlines of many companies, the passenger service was largely self-contained, i.e. loco shed at the terminus with the first train of the day starting from there with coaches stored wherever was convenient, with the goods service coming from slightly further afield - i.e. the nearest major centre for traffic sorting. In the case of Ashburton, this was Hackney Yard at Newton Abbot, but as an example from the other side of the country, the Stoke Ferry branch goods came and went from and to King's Lynn, running through between Lynn and Downham Market. (Intermediate stations had their own pickup goods service.)

 

From the modeller' perspective, this means usually the same engine on passenger workings for several days, until the next boiler washout/service was due, at which point the engine would be changed over. Goods trains, on the other hand, might see more variety of engines, although if there was a regular crew, they may have a preference for a particular class or specific engine.

 

From what I have seen, Ashburton went from 517s to 4800/14xx for passenger, and from 1076 saddle and pannier tanks, through the 4400 prairies, to the good old 5700/8750 panniers on the goods service.

 

Incidentally, if wanting to change era simply, beware of modifications. Ashburton was built to broad gauge, and in 1892 the bauble road was simply narrowed to standard gauge. This wasn't replaced until the early 1930s, and as well as having fully sleepered and timbered track, the run round loop was extended. Multi-era, by simply changing the stock and road vehicles, it ain't!

 

Of course, if this doesn't bother you, then rule 1 applies - at least when no one else is looking!

[David C]

Whilst there were a great many branches on which only 1 or 2 locos were seen on a typical day, there were others which saw several more. I suspect the one with the most complicated timetable of the lot was Cardigan. Despite having only 4 - 5 trains a day, almost every one had a different loco at its head and 3 coaches were needed to run the services. Because the service was unbalanced, one train consisted of 2 coaches instead of the usual 1 and one of the goods trains was double headed. If anyone is interested, post 40 on my Woodstowe thread in Layout Topics details what happened at the terminus. It was a lot more interesting than how Ashburton and other similar branches were operated.

 

To add interest to a BLT, it might be an idea to operate it using several different prototype timetables, rather than employ stock from different periods to add variety. Woodstowe employs that of Cardigan, but I also occasionally use a modified version of Helston, although that requires only 2 or 3 45xx praires and a couple of B sets. Other branches which had more complex operating patterns were Kingsbridge (with quite a lot of tail traffic), Mortonhampstead and Fairford. Even lines operated by auto trains could be more interesting than you might think, Tetbury and Wallingford being two examples which come to mind. Mixed goods and passenger trains and tail traffic all increase the potential for operational interest, rather than merely shuttling an auto trailer back and forth between a terminus and the fiddle yard. 

 

All of the above are GWR BLTs, but other railways must be able to offer similar examples.

 

David C

[ejstubbs]

In search of more information about Woodstowe, I found this presentation which appears to have originated somewhere within the NMRA and which includes a lot of different branch line terminus designs, with a fair few based on UK prototypes, or prototype practice.

[Karhedron]

I suspect the one with the most complicated timetable of the lot was Cardigan. Despite having only 4 - 5 trains a day, almost every one had a different loco at its head and 3 coaches were needed to run the services.

I wonder how the station and services at Cardigan would have developed if the line from Pencader to Newcastle Emlyn had reached Cardigan as originally intended.

[Ed Winterbury]

This is a plan that you might like: . The idea would be juggling between the various trains coming in, most reversing to an imagined destination. The siding on the left could be either a goods yard or an industrial siding.

[Chris M]

Harborne station might be of interest. It was an urban LNWR terminus. It had a reasonable passenger service until closure to passengers in 1934. Wiki says there were 27 return passenger workings every day in 1914. It also had a goods shed and served a factory (Chad Valley). The line remained open to freight until 1963.

 

Track plan

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/lnwr/harborne/lnwrh2200.jpg